How to preserve original size when converting to PDF in Preview.

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IanSn Author

Level 1

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How to preserve original size when converting to PDF in Preview.

I'm using Preview in Snow Leopard.

Trying to create multipage PDFs from document scans.

I'm finding that when the scanned image (tiff, png, jpg) is converted to PDF in Preview the size reduces.

Selecting 'View actual size' shows the image with sometimes drastically impaired quality.

This does not always happen. I have some images that stay the same size and quality.

What factors cause this reduction in size in some images but not in others?

I'm not sure but this could be only images that have been scanned by me. If so, what do I need to do to prevent the problem?

These are not large images, just standard size pages.

I have all the preferences to view at 100%

This is not for printing, only for viewing on-screen.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Jan 6, 2012 2:03 AM

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Answer 1

X423424X

Level 6

14,265 points

Jan 6, 2012 2:29 AM in response to IanSn

What factors cause this reduction in size in some images but not in others?

The window size. Make it bigger.

The stuff is being scaled to fit in the window. If it fits, no scaling is necessary.

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Answer 2

IanSn Author

Level 1

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Jan 6, 2012 3:12 AM in response to X423424X

Please!!

I'm not silly...

As I said, selecting View actual size shows the image with sometimes drastically impaired quality (regardless of the window size).

I also said I have preferences set to view at 100%

It now seems as if this is only happening with scans I've made here.

Images downloaded from the internet are converting indentically, no problem. But my scans are being resized when converting.

I wonder if anyone with a bit of technical know-how can give me some clues as to why this is happening. It would seem to be something to do with the file itself.

(There was another post on here with the same problem but for some reason its been 'archived' though the last posting was this month and the query was not answered. So I've posted the question again.)

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Answer 3

X423424X

Level 6

14,265 points

Jan 6, 2012 3:16 AM in response to IanSn

I wonder if anyone with a bit of technical know-how can give me some clues as to why this is happening. It would seem to be something to do with the file itself.

Well if you are going to take that snide attitude good luck with getting an answer. Good bye.

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Answer 4

IanSn Author

Level 1

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Jan 6, 2012 3:46 AM in response to X423424X

Snide?

Just asking. I need techie help. Maybe I should have said I'm not a noob?

I've got clients waiting. I can go use Adobe on... another machine. But it would be nice to use the Mac?

Have nice day.

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Answer 5

IanSn Author

Level 1

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Jan 6, 2012 4:42 AM in response to IanSn

Looks like converting the scans to 72dpi (but keeping same dimensions) in Photoshop before converting to PDF in Preview solves the problem. The image quality is good enough. Guess that's what I needed to know...

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